OV9

Forgot all about this until the "should hate it but really don't" comments in Gav's thread

This was the car given to me on my most recent trip to Germany. From the really-rather-nice 118i I had over Xmas, I got given a fucking Tourneo on the trip after which I hated down to an atomic level - it really was quite insulting that I got given something like that when I clearly operate in an echelon higher than most.

When I saw the S-Max I thought "FFS not another bloody mum-bus" then actually got into the bugger. First things first, and I later came to realise that this was the jizz-spec version, the quilted leather seats were quite lovely things, so off to a good start. Excellent info/HVAC/etc system (I refuse to use conjoined words like infotainment), shame it's an auto but the rotary dial is very pleasant, let's F O.

Bloody hell - it was a rocket! Diseasel but with an 8-speed auto - wheelspin in 1st, torquey thump in the back in 2nd and so on, and actually seemed to get a second wind beyond about 3.5k to the redline, unlike the majority of diesels that run out of puff. I had a dig around to try and get the power of it, and it seemed to be 190 bhp or so, which is plenty really.

I set the cruise to a nice, round 200 kph all the way from the airport to the exit 150 kms later and played tag with a Panamera the whole way. Laser cruise is odd, isn't it - great when people pull over but you find yourself stuck at the speed of the cruise control set by the person in front so a bit of Arabic driving was called for on occasion.

I actually liked it so much I made the old man come out for a spin in it, and he also gave it resounding approval.

Big cars having a lot of space is not exactly unheard of, but in terms of the amount of crap we had to cart back, including the nipper, it was bob-on. All loaded up and whisking back to the airport, all was good in the world.

Overall, I was amazed - I hardly wanted to hand the bugger back (the car, that is). Very impressive, unless all modern cars are like this and I'm just totally out of touch.

And it has started.... #dadmode

..............then I got home and my co-parent bought an S1000RR and I took my RS4 for a blat.

There

We had a Galaxy as a courtesy car for a week or so. Still basically a fat S-Max I think. I disliked it at first but a lot of your comments apply to it; quite wheelspinny and sporty which is a surprise for a big old bus. Comfy for passengers too. I still disliked it because it’s ugly and the S-Max is plenty spacious enough, but I was surprised.

One of my mates got the 2.5 turbo s-max when he resigned himself to getting a dad van. It’s a bit too big for a proper B road rally but otherwise really good fun. He’s done some work on it and it’s embarrassed some properly sporty cars .

Jobbo wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:21 pm We had a Galaxy as a courtesy car for a week or so. Still basically a fat S-Max I think. I disliked it at first but a lot of your comments apply to it; quite wheelspinny and sporty which is a surprise for a big old bus. Comfy for passengers too. I still disliked it because it’s ugly and the S-Max is plenty spacious enough, but I was surprised.

The Mk4 Galaxy/mk2 S-Max are supposedly more different than the mk3/1. The S-Max is narrower (only an issue if you need three car seats in the back I suspect) and more upmarket than previously. Galaxy is definitely the more practical car and it is amazing how much space there is in the boot.

JLv3.0 wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 11:53 am ..............then I got home and my co-parent bought an S1000RR and I took my RS4 for a blat.

There

co-parent? Is that the new term for baby momma?

Thread should have been titled Vignale and I.

unzippy wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 10:48 pm

JLv3.0 wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 11:53 am ..............then I got home and my co-parent bought an S1000RR and I took my RS4 for a blat.

There

co-parent? Is that the new term for baby momma?

Best we can come up with

nuttinnew wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 12:05 am Thread should have been titled Vignale and I.

This is achingly correct; my apologies.

DeskJockey wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 10:14 pm

Jobbo wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:21 pm We had a Galaxy as a courtesy car for a week or so. Still basically a fat S-Max I think. I disliked it at first but a lot of your comments apply to it; quite wheelspinny and sporty which is a surprise for a big old bus. Comfy for passengers too. I still disliked it because it’s ugly and the S-Max is plenty spacious enough, but I was surprised.

The Mk4 Galaxy/mk2 S-Max are supposedly more different than the mk3/1. The S-Max is narrower (only an issue if you need three car seats in the back I suspect) and more upmarket than previously. Galaxy is definitely the more practical car and it is amazing how much space there is in the boot.

From my (quite frequent) experience of them getting Addison Lees home from work, they seemed to have ruined the mk4 Galaxy. The ride is now awful and the rear seats firmer - basically wrecked it as a comfortable place to be driven home in.

GG. wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:30 pm

DeskJockey wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 10:14 pm

Jobbo wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:21 pm We had a Galaxy as a courtesy car for a week or so. Still basically a fat S-Max I think. I disliked it at first but a lot of your comments apply to it; quite wheelspinny and sporty which is a surprise for a big old bus. Comfy for passengers too. I still disliked it because it’s ugly and the S-Max is plenty spacious enough, but I was surprised.

The Mk4 Galaxy/mk2 S-Max are supposedly more different than the mk3/1. The S-Max is narrower (only an issue if you need three car seats in the back I suspect) and more upmarket than previously. Galaxy is definitely the more practical car and it is amazing how much space there is in the boot.

From my (quite frequent) experience of them getting Addison Lees home from work, they seemed to have ruined the mk4 Galaxy. The ride is now awful and the rear seats firmer - basically wrecked it as a comfortable place to be driven home in.

That's annoying. Never been in one, nor an AL for that matter (employer really not keen on AL, needs C-level pre-approval )

DeskJockey wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:38 pm

GG. wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:30 pm

DeskJockey wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 10:14 pm

The Mk4 Galaxy/mk2 S-Max are supposedly more different than the mk3/1. The S-Max is narrower (only an issue if you need three car seats in the back I suspect) and more upmarket than previously. Galaxy is definitely the more practical car and it is amazing how much space there is in the boot.

From my (quite frequent) experience of them getting Addison Lees home from work, they seemed to have ruined the mk4 Galaxy. The ride is now awful and the rear seats firmer - basically wrecked it as a comfortable place to be driven home in.

That's annoying. Never been in one, nor an AL for that matter (employer really not keen on AL, needs C-level pre-approval )

Hey - everything is personal right. Your kids may not care about the rear seats and the firmer ride may make it better to drive I guess (though on London's . It's not as good now as a taxicab but you wouldn't be looking to use it as one anyway.

GG. wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 2:12 pm

DeskJockey wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:38 pm

GG. wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 1:30 pm

From my (quite frequent) experience of them getting Addison Lees home from work, they seemed to have ruined the mk4 Galaxy. The ride is now awful and the rear seats firmer - basically wrecked it as a comfortable place to be driven home in.

That's annoying. Never been in one, nor an AL for that matter (employer really not keen on AL, needs C-level pre-approval )

Hey - everything is personal right. Your kids may not care about the rear seats and the firmer ride may make it better to drive I guess (though on London's . It's not as good now as a taxicab but you wouldn't be looking to use it as one anyway.

Not looking to upgrade yet anyway, but yes, all subjective.

Think I trailed off mid-sentence but I meant in London or the south east (you're south london ish IIRC) the firmer ride over speedbumps etc. would probably annoy.

GG. wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 2:20 pm Think I trailed off mid-sentence but I meant in London or the south east (you're south london ish IIRC) the firmer ride over speedbumps etc. would probably annoy.

I am indeed in that area. Luckily not too many bumps out this way.

JLv3.0 wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 12:16 am

unzippy wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 10:48 pm

JLv3.0 wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 11:53 am ..............then I got home and my co-parent bought an S1000RR and I took my RS4 for a blat.

There

co-parent? Is that the new term for baby momma?

Best we can come up with

and you have the temerity to take issue with my tongue in cheek whale tail comment!

There’s a Mondeo Estate Vignale in the work car park. I always think it looks rather lovely

A mate has a petrol (230ish bhp?) one of these.

Total non-car-person, they'd had an early diesel S-Max for a while, fancied a change and I couldn't think of anything better for what they wanted than another S-Max. He'd read some "diesel is bad" stuff and went and bought the only newish petrol auto S-Max for sale in the country, which happened to be an ex-demo Vignale.

They are indeed very nice inside and absurdly well specced. You'd kind of expect that though spending that much on an S-Max.